The Weimar Republic 1918-1923

Question 0

Who was blamed by the German people for the diktat?

Answer 0

The new Democratic Party- the Weimar government

Question 1

What is a diktat and give an example?

Answer 1

An agreement forced upon someone

The treaty of Versailles (1919), sign by the Weimar government

Question 2

What were the economic terms of the treaty of Versailles?

Answer 2

Reparations of 136,000 million marks must be paid

Question 3

What were the military terms of the treaty of Versailles?

Answer 3

The army, limited to 100,000, could only be used internally
The navy was cut down to bare bones (no submarines at all)
No airforce was allowed
The Rhineland was demilitarised (it bordered France)

Question 4

What were the territorial terms of the treaty of Versailles?

Answer 4

Alsace and Lorraine were lost to France
Poland, Belgium and Denmark also gained land, some places even voted themselves out of Germany
They lost all there colonies (in Africa)
The port of Danzig was made international, not run by Germany

Question 5

What was Dolchstoss (the stab in the back)?

Answer 5

The German people believed they were never defeated and politicians betrayed them (kaiser gave war winning propaganda up until the final moments)
Even Fredrich Ebert, the Weimar chancellor never accepted full defeat

Question 6

What did Ebert do to ease the unrest in Germany after the war?

Answer 6

Set up a temporary government and created a new constitution (1919)

Question 7

What was the new constitution like? (1919)

Answer 7

It was more democratic than the one under the kaiser (meaning the people had more control)

Question 8

What were the terms of the constitution? (1919)

Answer 8

Members of the Reichstag were elected every four years
Men and woman over 20 could vote
Proportional representation was used
Local governments and councils were still used
The president chose the chancellor and could dismiss all if needed
The chancellor was the head (needed a majority in the Reichstag to pass laws)

Question 9

What was the Reichstag?

Answer 9

The dominant house of the new German parliament

Question 10

What is proportional representation?

Answer 10

The number of Reichstag seats given depended on the percentage of votes the party got

Question 11

What was the Reichsrat?

Answer 11

The other house in the German parliament

Question 12

How did Ebert (president) gain support politically?

Answer 12

Promised the head of the army that there will be no reforms
Reassured business owners and industrialists there will be no nationalisation
Ensured the support of the trade unions by promising a maximum eight hour work day

Question 13

What were the weaknesses of the new constitution?

Answer 13

Proportional representation destabilised the government as getting a majority for decisions was very difficult
The fact there was a emergency decree made it seem weak; the German people agreed with this

Question 14

What were the reasons for Germany’s bankruptcy? What did this lead to initially?

Answer 14

They spent all their money on the war effort
The treaty of Versailles meant they had to pay reparations and lose profitable areas to other countries
1923, Germany could no longer pay

Question 15

What did the French do in retaliation to the Germans not paying? (1923)

Answer 15

The occupation of the Ruhr
Sending troops in, the French ‘confiscated’ raw materials, machinery and goods and arrested those who obstructed them in doing so, and then brought in there own workers as replacements

Question 16

What was the response of the German people? (1923)

Why was the Ruhr so significant?

Answer 16

Angry at the French but more resented the Weimar government for letting it happen.
The Ruhr was where 80percent of their raw materials lay - a big hit to the German economy

Question 17

What was the result of Germany’s severe debt? And how did it happen?

Answer 17

Inflation
Shortages meant goods were more valuable so the price went up.
When no one could buy anything, the government was then forced to print money to compensate (initially worked)
Because there was so much more money, the prices went up (even more inflation) and turned into hyperinflation

Question 18

What were the results of hyperinflation?

Answer 18

Everyone suffered from shortages and found it difficult to buy what was needed
People with large, life long, savings money turned worthless

Question 19

Who benefitted from hyperinflation?

Answer 19

Big businessmen in debt became worthless

Foreign visitors own currency rose against the German mark

Question 20

What did those on the right wing want?

Answer 20

Keep society stable with a strong, powerful leader
Support capitalism and family values
Nationalists (nation over individual)
Wanted the kaiser back and Germany to be powerful again
(Fascism and nazism are extremes)

Question 21

What did those on the left wing want?

Answer 21

Change society rapidly with equal rights
Opposed capitalism
Internationalists (stressed co-operating of nations)
Abolish the classes with a revolution (following Russia)
(Communists are extreme)

Question 22

Why did people support extreme parties more?

Answer 22

They were angry and vulnerable, wanting quick change

Question 23

What was a main cause of violent political unrest between the parties?

Answer 23

They each had private armies which including still angry soldiers from the war

Question 24

What was the Freikorps?

Answer 24

A large political army (250,000 1919)
They were demobilised soldiers who refused to give back weapons
They were anti communist and very violent. Working with the regular army

Question 25

What was happening a lot because of the violence and unrest?

Answer 25

Political assassinations

376 from 1919 to 1922 (mainly moderate or left wing politicians)

Question 26

What was the Spartacist revolt? (1918-1919)

Answer 26

Left wing uprisings throughout Germany claiming to be the new true government, threatening the Weimar Republic.
100,000 communist took over key buildings in Berlin
Realising their regular army was no match, Ebert sent in the Freikorps (who opposed communists) killing two key leaders in the process (Liebknecht and Luxemburg)

Question 27

Even though they succeeded, why was the Weimar government thought of as even weaker after the Spartacist revolt? (1918-1919)

Answer 27

They had to be saved by a non government organisation of the Freikorps in order to succeed

Question 28

What was the Kapp Putsch? (1920)

Answer 28

A right wing revolt (lead by Dr Wolfgang Kapp)
Outraged about the treaty of Versailles, 5000 people marched on Berlin to bring back the Kaiser (they took control of the city)
The army refused to do anything and the Freikorps were pro-Kapp
Instead, Ebert urged workers of Berlin to go on strike. Many being left wing, they obliged. Without basic services, Kapp accepted defeat and fled to Sweden.

Question 29

Why was the Weimar Republic again shown as weak?

Answer 29

They needed the help of the workers to solve there issue

Question 30

Why did hitler choose 1923 to revolt in Munich?

Answer 30

People were angry and vulnerable from the occupation of the Ruhr and hyperinflation (the Weimar Republic appeared weak and powerless at the time)

Question 31

What happened initially in the Munich putsch? (1923)

Answer 31

Hitler burst into a meeting of the Bavarian government with 600 SA storm troopers announcing he was taking Bavaria. Kahr (government) Seisser (police) and Lossow (army) were all threatened at gunpoint until they agreed to support the uprising.

Question 32

What happened the next day in the Munich putsch?

Answer 32

Hitler heard that the three key men now opposed him. Hitler sent 3000 supporters and the SA to occupy key buildings in the town. Hitler declared himself the president of Germany. Outmatched, Goering (Air force hero) was shot in the thigh and hitler would have been shot but his body guard saved him. they were defeated. Hitler fled, was found and imprisoned for 5 years and his party was banned